Finnish artist/producer/DJ Ville ?Darude? Virtanen?s education and broad taste in music dates back to his active radio-listening years, wherein other people?s music, among other things, gives him the ultimate high to nirvana.

All the while, he was DJ-ing at school parties where the name ?Darude? gradually developed when he played one particular song several times in a row at a friend's pre-party: 'Rude Boy' by Swedish artist Leila K. After repeated playings, friends started calling him 'Rude Boy', then 'The Rude' and finally 'Da Rude', which is now reduced to Darude.

His fascination with music actually took him quite a long time to realize that he can produce his own, a piece that would put him up on a pedestal at this time. One day a friend showed him what could be done with a regular PC and a simple tracker program, his studies started going downhill and time spent next to the computer increased exponentially. He soon moved on to sound modules and samplers in need of better sounds and more variety. Being a tech-freak that he is, he wanted to try out new stuff as soon as he gets his hands on them.

Although Darude might well have been in demand at the school disco, his musical career really took off when he sent Finnish producer Jaako Salovaara [JS:16] a demo tape with Sandstorm on it. Jaako sandstorm song listen liked what he heard and signed Darude up to 16 Inch Records. The single Sandstorm was the first release on the label and was a massive hit in Finland - going directly to number one in the dance chart and staying in the charts for 16 weeks. 'Sandstorm' has now sold platinum.

Sandstorm The song that catapulted Darude to fame, a great song , upbeat and maintaining a sort of classical class to it, whilst still upholding the rave standard with beat upon beat, building and fueling each other, whether it is the main sound, the drum, or the small electronic you barely hear. This is perfect music to drive to, to just sit and chill out too, and exercise too. Not too fast, but a nice creative blend of electronica, dance, and trance.

'Sandstorm' sold platinum in Scandinavia and Ireland, and gold in the UK and Germany. The worldwide sales of 'Sandstorm' is about 1,5 - 2 million units. The single was also the world's best selling 12" vinyl of 2000.

The second single, 'Feel The Beat', went to #1 on the Finnish Dance Chart, the UK Club Chart, Mixology Dance Chart UK, and the Australian Dance Chart. Altogether it conquered the Top 3 in ten countries. Darude's debut album, 'Before The Storm', sold double platinum in Finland and gold in Canada. The worldwide sales are about 600.000 - 800.000 units.

Darude's success around the world kept him on the road performing live for a total of nine months in 2001. In the spring of 2002, Darude did his seven week 'Tour de Trance' in the USA.

Aside from records, clubs and radio, you can hear sandstorm song sound clips and sandstorm music video in Hollywood movies, playstation games, mobile ring tones, and heavily viewed sports broadcasts like the Olympics and the Ice Hockey World Championships.

His energetic sets have clearly proven to people that there's a lot more to Darude than his signature track, ?Sandstorm', since after only one year of spinning, he has been voted onto the renowned charts The DJ Magazine's Top100 list 2004 (UK) & BPM Magazine's America's Favorite DJ list 2004 and 2005 and gained a top position in The DJ List.com's chart.

On the same year, worldwide downloads surged to more than 250 million. With the ease of sandstorm techno dance song free download straight to your computer and then writing your own CD, DVD or importing direct to your PSP people really do have a massive amount of entertainment at there finger tips.

In 2005, Darude began hosting his monthly mix show, "Salmiakki Sessions with Darude," on ETN.fm (www.etn.fm). This show has gained tremendous support and has led to Darude also hosting a weekly mix show, "Darude Presents Finland" on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (www.sirius.com/area33). In addition, Darude also does many guest mixes for other top radio programs, such as Above & Beyond's "Trance Around the World" on Ministry of Sound Radio.

Techno was primarily developed in basement studios by "The Belleville Three", a cadre of African-American men who were attending college, at the time, near Detroit, Michigan. The budding musicians ? former high school friends and mixtape traders Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson ? found inspiration in Midnight Funk Association, an eclectic, 5-hour, late-night radio program hosted on various Detroit radio stations including WCHB, WGPR, and WJLB-FM from 1977 through the mid-1980s by DJ Charles "The Electrifying Mojo" Johnson. Mojo's show featured heavy doses of electronic sounds from the likes of George Clinton, Kraftwerk, and Tangerine Dream, among others.